Which person is credited as the Pokémon franchise’s original illustrator?

Ken Sugimori is credited as the Pokémon franchise’s original illustrator.

Sugimori met Satoshi Tajiri through Game Freak, the video-game company Tajiri had developed from his earlier fanzine. Sugimori illustrated the original Pokémon designs and created much of the artwork associated with the first games.

He was the lead artist for Pokémon Red and Green and helped establish the visual style of the franchise. The original 151 Pokémon were presented through his artwork, which combined recognizable animal-like forms with distinctive fantasy traits.

Sugimori was not Pokémon’s creator; that credit belongs to Tajiri. Sugimori’s role was visual development and illustration, while Tajiri originated the concept and directed the games. This distinction is a common source of confusion because both men were central to Game Freak’s early Pokémon work.

Sugimori later contributed to Pokémon artwork, character designs, official illustrations, and art direction across many generations of the franchise.